Title: AFTER THE CREDITS The Empath

Author: Ster Julie

Series: TOS

Rating: PG

Codes: Spock/McCoy

Part 4/4

A/N: This takes place after STTFF (After the "Row, Row, Row Your Boat nonsense!)

ooOoo-

"Here you are, Spock. I've been looking for you."

"Is Jim asleep?"

"Yeah, he's sawing wood so loudly I thought for sure you could hear him from here."

"Sawing wood? I thought you said he was asleep?"

"Snoring, Spock. Jim's snoring."

"Ah. You could have said so outright."

"You've been out here a long time, Spock. Can't you sleep?"

"I have many things on my mind."

"Well, if you share your burden with me, you'll have a lighter load."

"Doctor McCoy, you have said many illogical things during our friendship, but that, as my mother would say, 'Takes the cake.' If I share my burden with you, then we would both be miserable."

'What's making you miserable? . . . Is it Sybok again?"

"Actually, it is something Jim said at the reception. 'I lost a brother once. But I was lucky; I got him back.'"

"You do know that he was referring to you."

"Of course. It's just that . . . I will not be as fortunate. I lost my dear brother once before, when he was exiled. I got him back, but only for the briefest of moments. There is such an emptiness in me now. . ."

"Tell me about Sybok, Spock."

"Sybok came to my family when I was just three years old. I had been abducted and had only been returned to my family when we literally found Sybok on our doorstep. His mother had just died and there was no one else to take care of him. Sarek had not been aware that his first wife had conceived prior to leaving for Gol."

"He must have been shocked."

"Indeed. Eventually he acknowledged Sybok as his son."

"To do otherwise, Spock, would have been illogical!"

"Indeed. Sybok and I were raised as brothers. He had this ability to heal wounded spirits, and he exercised his gift with me. He cured me of my night terrors and other anxieties."

"He was very special to you."

"Indeed. He helped me through some other childhood traumas. I grew very dependant on him.

"That must not have pleased Sarek."

"Indeed not. He and Sybok argued frequently about this. And when Sybok was exiled, I bore not only my own grief but also my father's anger. Sarek was even more determined to make me adhere stringently to the disciplines."

"He wanted to insure that you didn't stray, that you didn't give the authorities any reason to be exiled either. It's a common reaction for any parent. When one child strays, the rest suffer."

"Yes."

"Was Sybok the main reason that you went into space, Spock?"

"It was one reason. I was truly enamored of the stars. I wanted to see what lay beyond the night sky. Father had taken us along on a few diplomatic trips when I was small."

"That was enough to give you the bug."

"'The bug'?"

"Wanderlust. The desire to travel beyond Vulcan."

"Yes."

"I'm sure you wanted to escape Sarek's iron first."

"Yes."

"Did you ever catch up to Sybok before this?"

"No. I never came close."

"Which made recent events even harder."

"Yes."

"And you mourn your brother now."

"I mourn my brother –again,- Leonard. We were forced to have a memorial service for him when he was exiled."

"That must have been hard."

"Yes."

"How will you mourn Sybok now?"

"We are doing it together now, Leonard. We are sharing stories of Sybok. Our words are calling him to be present among us. . . . Forgive my emotional outburst."

"Oh, Spock, tears are wholly appropriate. May I hold you?"

"Please do, Leonard! Please do."

"I lost a brother once, Spock, but I was lucky enough to carry him when he needed me."

"Oh, Leonard! This is not fair to you. Forgive me for not considering your feelings. You must find this physical contact disconcerting."

"Not at all. I love you and I want to help you in your need. If this is what you need right now, then this is what you'll have. It was my love that drew you to entrust me with your soul, and now I want to ease your spirit."

"Leonard. . . Leonard, I have to share something with you."

"What is it, Spock?"

"I have a memory, a fragment of a memory."

"What is it?"

"It is from the time when you carried my katra."

"You can remember that time?"

"It is the only explanation that is logical. I remember being distressed, looking down at my body as I rested in the Klingon ship. I wasn't floating over my body but rather I was studying my face quite intently. I said, "I never thought I'd say this to you, Spock, but it seems I've missed you. And I couldn't bear to lose you again." I know this memory was from the time of my fal-tor-pan because my hair was so long and unruly. My hand was clutching my hand tightly. Then I remember leaning forward and kissing my lips."

"Like this?"

". . . Like that. Leonard, are you trying to seduce me?"

"Forgive me, Spock. You are much too vulnerable right now."

"Leonard, how can you want a relationship with me?"

"We've been over this before, Spock."

"But I need intimacy only every seven years."

"But I know you can be sexually active between Times."

"The two cases you are intimating happened when I was controlled by outside influences."

"You mean, there can be NO physical intimacy between us except every seven YEARS? I NEED the physical! I have been waiting far too many YEARS for the physical!"

"Leonard, I believe that our relationship skipped the physical when you carried my katra. But, there –are-intimacies I can share with you that are far beyond the physical. That is, if you have lost your aversion to mind melds."

"Hey, Spock, I had a really bad experience with melding. Don't expect me to change overnight."

"I am not my mirror self, Leonard. I would never force you into anything."

"One could make the argument that you did just that when you gave me your katra."

"Leonard, I was desperate! . . . Do you really resent carrying my katra?"

"As crazy as you made me back then, I wouldn't have traded that time for the world."

"May I touch your meld points now? I will show you such intimacies far beyond the body."

"Uh sure. When you put it that way, how can a guy refuse. Oh! . . . Oh, Spock. . . Oh, Spock. . . Oh, Spock! . . . Oh! Spock! SPOCK!"

"Leonard? Are you all right?"

"Oh, Spock!"

"Leonard?"

"I, oh, just give me a minute. I have heard of Vulcan mind sex, but, WOW! . . . Say, why didn't you start the meld like you usually do? Even you looked surprised."

"I wasn't prepared to slip into your mind so easily. But I shouldn't have been surprised. When you carried my katra, Leonard, you imprinted yourself on my very soul. What can be greater than that?"

"Well . . . ."

"There will be a time that I will need the physical expression of our relationship. Will you be there for me?"

"What exactly is our relationship?"

"Have I not made it clear how much you are already a part of me? To invite another into my life as a mate at this point would be illogical. There is no more room in my heart."

"Why, Spock! That's the most romantic thing I have ever heard you say!"

"So then, Leonard-cam. Wilt thou bond with me, one in mind, one in heart, one in soul?"

"Oh, yes, Spock!"

"You understand that this bonding is forever, and that my need for the physical does not match your own."

"Will find a way around it, Spock. Maybe all I need to do is show you the joys of 'the physical'."

"Leonard, I promise to more than compensate your sacrifice every seven years."

"I gotta wait 'til THEN? Fine. Just promise me that, in between Times, we have a lot of that mind sex or whatever you just showed me. Mindblowing!"

End part 4

End Story--yay!